Apparatus for binding sheets of flexible material



Aug. 28, 1956 w. HESSELMANN APPARATUS FOR BINDING SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL Filed Dec. 19, 1952 United States Patent APPARATUS FOR BINDING SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL Willy Hessehnann, Rosenheim, Germany Application December 19, 1952, Serial No. 326,969

Claims priority, application Germany September 23, 1952 4 Claims. (Cl. 111) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for binding sheets of flexible material, such as paper and cardboard of all kinds and any desired size in identical or different sequence.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the kind referred to which is very simple and permits the binding of sheets in a simple, durable and accurate manner with a minimum expenditure of time, labor, and material.

With this and further objects in view, according to the present invention a flap is displaceable relative to an inclined block assembly surface to and from a position superjacent and substantially perpendicular to the lower edge of said surface and a clamping device is supported on said surface parallel to but spaced above said lower edge, whereby the block back, formed by the edges of the sheets abutting the flap in said position, is splayed by compression of the block through the clamping device so as to facilitate the application of adhesive to the block back on subsequent withdrawal of the flap from said po sition.

Preferably the clamping device may be so mounted on the block assembly surface that, after it has been filled with leaves of paper to form a block and the back thereof has been glued, it can be taken out and replaced by a similar clamping device whereby the clamping device which has been removed can be deposited in a drying device for the purpose of setting the glue, whilst a further clamping device is inserted onto the block assembly surface and filled with further leaves of paper. Such a drying device consists of a frame attachable to a table or other frame plate of the apparatus and two arms of the frame support a clamping device in a position which subjects the back of the block retained therein to the radiation of one or more infra-red lamps also carried by the frame.

The edges of the block back may be splayed or opened fanwise to a greater extent if the compression members of the clamping device have an edge projecting inwardly towards the other member, which may be provided, for instance, by a plate secured to the member.

The inclination of the block .assembly surface ensures that the edges of the leaves abut the flap. The block assembly surface may be disposed at an angle of up to 50 to the horizontal and it is particularly effective if the lower edge of the block assembly surface is further inclined to the horizontal.

It is preferred to make the flap of .a transparent material, such as, glass, artificial resin, Celluloid, flexible glass or the like, so as to be able to see whether the leaves abut against the flap. it is of advantage to secure the fiap interchangeably in or to a rotatable shaft mounted in front of the block assembly surface.

An alternative embodiment of the apparatus has a clamping member which extends over the entire width of the block assembly surface and is guided at its ends by guides secured to the block assembly surface. Alternatively, the clamping member may be an arm-mounted pivotally at one side of the block assembly surface, in which case the mounting must be adjustable in height or resilient vertically, in order that the pivotal point may always lie in the plane of the top leaf of the block.

It is furthermore advantageous to make the flap convex or in particular concave for the formation of a curvature on the back of the block or to provide corresponding insert templates.

To prevent smearing of the block assembly surface when glue is being applied to the back of the block, the surface preferably has a step at the lower edge facing flap. This step prevents at the same time obstruction of the fanwise opening of the sheet edges projecting out of the clamping device.

In order to prevent lifting up of the leaves and especialiy of a cover board, it is expedient that the clamping device should possess a rearwardly projecting stay loaded by means of weights or a spring to contact the top of the block.

Furthermore, it is to be recommended to provide on the block assembly surface a laterally displaceable plate, in order that, for example, leaves of differing size may also be aligned in a direction additional and at right angles to that of the flap.

An artificial resin glue is used to particular advantage with the apparatus of this invention preferably of a polyvinyl acetate base, and in a highly viscous state for promoting threadless binding.

In order to increase the fan-wise opening of the block back, which is placed ready and fixed by the clamping device, the top outer edge of the top compression member may be rounded off to a nose, so that the leaf ends projecting out of the clamping device can then be bent round the nose, whereby the edges of the leaves are in stepped formation to present narrow strips of sheet which can be conveniently coated with glue. After the ends of the leaves have returned into their normal position, effective gluing one to the other is achieved.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and appear in the appended claims forming part of the application.

In the accompanying drawings several new preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

Fig. l is a cross-section through the apparatus in the clamped position,

Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation of one embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 3 is a partial showing, in cross-section, of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in partial side elevation, with means for shaping the edge of a pile of sheets to be used;

Fig. 5 is a similar showing of another embodiment;

Fig. 6 illustrates, in cross-section, a modification of the sheet-clamping members;

Fig. 7 is an overall diagrammatic representation of the invention with a drying attachment;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a further embodiment and Fig. 9 is a cross-section corresponding to Fig. 1 illus-- trating a further application.

Similar reference numerals denote similar parts in the different views.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and first to Fig. 1, it will be seen that a frame 1 of triangular shape carries a block assembly surface or work plate 2 and is supported on a table plate 3. The working surface of the work plate 2 is inclined at an angle oz, preferably 45, with the table plate 3. Aflap 4 of transparent material is hinged at the lower edge of the work plate 2 by a hinge 5.

This flap 4 is hinged with work plate 2 in such a manner that in the working position they are at right angles to one another.

In the work plate 2, a recess 6 extends parallel to and near the lower edge of the work plate to receive the lower jaw 7 of a paper clamp.

The upper jaw 8 of the paper clamp has handles 13 and 14, which are threaded internally to fit studs on the ends of the jaw 8. These two studs have a right hand thread and a left hand thread respectively, and project through slotted brackets 9 and 10 fitted to jaw 7 perpendicular to the work plate 2, so that by turning the two handles 13 and 14 in one direction, jaw 8 may be locked in or released from a fixed position relative to jaw 7.

As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 7, with the flap 4 in its working position the lower jaw 7 of the clamp is inserted into the recess 6 in the work plate 2, whereupon the leaves to be employed (papers and the like) are thrust against the flap 4 to form a pile upon the work plate 2. The inclination of the plate 2 ensures that all the papers abut against the flap 4. As soon as the pile 15 has reached the desired thickness, the upper jaw 8 is pushed into the guide slots 11 and 12 of brackets 9 and 10 and pressed firmly against the pile 15, whereupon the handles 13 and 14 are screwed firmly up to the guides 9 and 10 to clamp the jaws.

The flap 4 is then swung away, and the back 16 of the pile 15 is coated with adhesive, for example, by means of a brush. Under the pressure of the clamping jaws 7 and 8, the ends of the leaves of paper separate somewhat in the manner of a fan so that the applied glue is well inserted.

The clamping jaws 7 and 8 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 have inwardly projecting edges 17 and 18, whereby, as shown in an exaggerated manner in Fig. 3, the ends of the leaves are splayed out to a greater extent by the clamping action of the jaws 7 and 8. By this means, deeper penetration of the glue into the back region 16 of the pile of leaves is ensured.

To avoid smearing the work plate 2 with glue during its application a step 19 is provided in the frontal face of the work plate 2.

A stay 20 may be connected to the upper jaw 8, to

exert upon the pile 15 a pressure by its own weight or spring loading thereby preventing the leaves from bending up when the clamping jaw 8 is pressed down (see Fig. 3).

Templates for shaping the back of the block 16 may be secured to the flap 4. In Fig. 4, a template 21 of this kind having a concave outer surface is provided so that r the block 15 is given a convex back form. In Fig. 5 the template 22 has a convex exterior, so that the back of the block 15 becomes concave. Such templates may have any desired shape or size, so that an appropriate template may be selected at any time to suit the anticipated thickness of the block 15. The templates 21 and 22 are inserted in dovetail slots 23 of the flap 4 and held in position by pins or clips.

As in Fig. 6, the upper jaw 8 may have the front face rounded to a nose 24, so that it is possible, after the block 15 has been put in the clamp, to bend up the leaf ends 15 causing a stepped formation of the leaf edges. Thus, subsequent application of glue not only coats the edges but also a narrow strip of the surfaces of the leaves. An even deeper penetration of the glue into the back of the pile is achieved in this way.

As will be seen from Fig. 8, it is possible to employ, in place of the removable clamp 7--14, an upper plate 8' which is pivotally mounted on a stand 25 by the hinge 26. The hinge sleeve 27 can be fixed at various levels by the small clamping wheel 28. For the purpose of assembling the pile, the ledge 8' is swung, up, which is pressed down subsequently onto the assembled block 15 and fixed at the counter-stand 29. This clamp is, however, only appropriate in cases in which setting of the adhesive takes place while the block is in position on the apparatus.

It is more suitable however, after gluing the back 16 to lift the clamp 714 away from the work plate 2 together with the clamped block 15 and to deposit it on a frame 39 (see Fig. 7) attached to the work table 3. This frame may consist of a U-shaped support member 31, the handles 13 and 14 being placed upon the two forwardly projecting arms in such a manner that the back 16 of the block faces upwards as can be seen clearly from Fig. 7. To the frame 30 is secured a stand 32 which carries an infra-red lamp with a reflector 33, so that the back 16 of the block is exposed to the heat rays. Thus a rapid and intensive setting of the adhesive is effected. As soon as the clamping device 7-14- containing the block 15 has been placed upon the frame 30, 31, a further clamp is placed on the work plate 2, whereby both the Work plate 2 and the drying device are in continuous use.

Corresponding to Fig. 7, the flap 4 may be carried by two bolts 34 mounted on a shaft 35 which is rotatably mounted on the work plate 2 and may be locked relative thereto by the wing nuts 36. It will be understood that many other types of mounting may be employed, for example, as shown in Fig. 2, in which the flap 4 is cranked and can be pressed against a stop with holding means 37.

Longitudinal grooves 38, for instance in dovetail form, may be provided in the work plate 2 parallel to its lower edge, in which grooves a lateral limiting plate 39 is slidable as may be seen from Fig. 7.

With the apparatus of the invention, papers of all sizes and thicknesses can be bound together like a block, and this can also be done when a casing cover 40 and 41 is to be applied. As in Fig. 9, it is even possible to use a separate backing strip 42. After the flap 4 has been swung down, the backing strip 42 can be glued in the region of the step 19 to the lower cover board 40, and the top board cover 41 is glued onto the topmost leaf of the block 15 after the back 16 is bound. There are naturally also many other possibilities.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to certain now preferred examples and embodiments of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for binding sheets of flexible material, comprising an inclined sheet-assembly plate having a recess adjacent and parallel to the lower edge thereof, a removable and interchangeable sheet-clamping unit having an upper and a lower clamping jaw, said lower jaw being supported in said recess with its upper surface spaced above the surface of the plate and adapted to compress in co-action with said upper clamping jaw a pile of sheets to be assembled, and a flap member hingedly connected to the lower edge of the plate and which is displaceable relative to the surface of the sheet-assembly plate to and from a position substantially perpendicular to the surface of the plate, said flap in perpendicular position being adapted to receive the edges of the sheets to be piled in desired thickness, and in withdrawn position to expose the edges of said piled sheets for application of adhesive.

2. An apparatus for binding sheets of flexible material according to claim 1, wherein the clamping jaws are each formed with edges projecting toward the other jaw and adapted to compress the pile of sheets formed in such a way that the edges of the sheets abutting said flap are splayed for facilitating the application of adhesive to said pile of sheets while in exposed position upon withdrawal of the flap.

3. An apparatus for binding sheets of flexible ma- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,231,765 McBee July 3, 1917 6 Goines Aug. 15, 1939 Harry Aug. 22, 1939 Krehbiel Aug. 15, 1944 Zimmerman Oct. 30, 1945 Bosch Dec. 14, 1948 De Florez Dec. 4, 1951 Haskell June 16, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Jan. 2, 1941 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR BINDING SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, COMPRISING AN INCLINED SHEET-ASSEMBLY PLATE HAVING A RECESS ADJACENT AND PARALLEL TO THE LOWER EDGE THEREOF, A REMOVABLE AND INTERCHANGEABLE SHEET-CLAMPING UNIT HAVING AN UPPER AND A LOWER CLAMPING JAW, SAID LOWER JAW BEING SUPPORTED IN SAID RECESS WITH ITS UPPER SURFACE SPACED ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE PLATE AND ADAPTED TO COMPRESS IN CO-ACTION WITH SAID UPPER CLAMPING JAW A PILE OF SHEETS TO BE ASSEMBLED, AND A FLAP MEMBER HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE LOWER EDGE OF THE PLATE AND WHICH IS DISPLACEABLY RELATIVE TO THE SURFACE OF THE SHEET-ASSEMBLY PLATE TO AND FROM A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE SURFACE OF THE PLATE, SAID FLAP IN PERPENDICULAR POSITION BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE EDGES OF THE SHEETS TO BE PILED IN DESIRED THICKNESS, AND IN WITHDRAWN POSITION TO EXPOSE THE EDGES OF SAID PILED SHEETS FOR APPLICATION OF ADHESIVE. 